Find the Best Vinyasa Yoga Retreats in the World

So you're thinking about going on a Vinyasa yoga retreat, huh?

Well, we couldn't be more excited for you :)

Vinyasa yoga has unofficially become the major yoga style in western cultures as it caters to the more athletic style of exercise that many yogis aim for. Unlike hatha yoga, yin yoga, yoga nidra, or restorative yoga, vinyasa (sometimes called ashtanga vinyasa yoga) builds heat throughout the entire yoga session. For this exact reason, many athletes complement their athletic training with a rigorous vinyasa flow yoga sequence.

That doesn't mean that you can't find vinyasa yoga classes all over the world, though!

You will find ashtanga vinyasa yoga everywhere, from the Balispirit Festival in Bali to a vinyasa yoga retreat in Rishikesh, India. You will see vinyasa yoga classes in Australia, Costa Rica, Morocco, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and all over Europe. You can even find online yoga classes with the ashtanga vinyasa flow yoga sequence! It is quite literally everywhere.

Needless to say, you have plenty of options to choose from.

What is Vinyasa Yoga?

Vinyasa yoga can be characterized by a few different aspects:

Synchronizing the movement of the body with the breath

Transitioning between poses and postures with the rhythm of pranayama breathing

Using the power of intention to give direction to your yoga practice and session

Vinyasa yoga is also sometimes called flow yoga, and can be seen as a type of moving meditation.

It is a dynamic form of yoga, that can use pranayama, bhandas, mudras, and asanas in a specific flow. Though some types can be more complicated with all the different parts you need to synchronize, other kinds of vinyasa yoga can be very simple.

When you get it down, it can be like a wonderful dance. A dancing, moving meditation that gives a wonderful experience of flow.

Most sessions will include Surya Namaskar, and you can always expect to move in the class. Various yoga styles include the vinyasa flow in them, including: Ashtanga Yoga, Jivamukti Yoga, and Power Yoga.

Because there is no set series for vinyasa yoga, the potential of the class can vary widely depending on the teacher. While this is often true for all styles, the ones with set series are often more predictable in what you’ll receive.

Our suggestion: find a teacher you really resonate with and go on a retreat with them.

Top Vinyasa Yoga Retreat Centers

It's a bit difficult to pinpoint the best retreat centres for vinyasa yoga because virtually all yoga studios will offer a vinyasa-inspired class. That being said, there are some yoga studios that are absolutely magical and provide high quality yoga classes to their students. Many of them also serve as yoga schools and provide vinyasa yoga teacher training, as well.

If you are interested in deepening your vinyasa yoga practice, then a vinyasa yoga retreat is an excellent first step. Here are some of the most popular retreat centres offering vinyasa yoga:

This beautiful retreat center is located in Portugal, where total rejuvenation just sort of comes with the territory. Pair yoga and meditation during your retreat to boost your overall health and well-being. They offer daily yoga classes, workshops, and private sessions to ensure that their guests are getting the best!

Samahita Retreat lies on the south coast of Koh Samui, a tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand that still has long stretches of pristine beaches and unspoiled land. Situated on Laem Sor beach, Samahita Retreat is surrounded by towering coconut trees in a quiet, spacious area, with incredible sunrises and sunsets that play with the colors of the water, sand and tropical fauna. When your yoga shala is made up of white sand beaches and turquoise water, your yoga practice won't be the only thing improving. Your total health and well-being will, too.

Because there is no real set vinyasa flow yoga sequence, Frog Lotus Yoga created their own! They offer their signature yoga classes online and put on a yoga festival once a year. What they are most known for are their teacher training programs, which may be of interest if you want to take your yoga practice to the next level.

The Yandara Yoga Institute is a super popular yoga school that offers yoga retreats all over the world. They are also well-known for their robust teacher training schedule (also all over the world). If you are not only interested in getting a life-changing experience out of your yoga retreat but you are also interested in teaching yoga, then this may be a great fit for you!